Flash light annunciator



Dec. 8, 1931. w. B. LUCAS FLASH LIGHT ANNUNCIATOR Filed Jan. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG?) Dec. 8, 1931. w B. LUCAS 1,835,508

FLASH LI GHT ANNUNC IATOR Filed Jan. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 57 49 as as 54 1 x ll .fia

WM (SEC; m INVENTOP 6 BY ATTORNEY Patented lilac. 8, 1931 i TED STATES PATENT o Wise WILLIAM BATES LUCAS, OF EAST ORANGE, New-gm ns Y, g ssrsuon 'ro .OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y7, A co'nronnrrron or nEw'JERsEY FLASH LIGHT ANNUN CIATOB This invention relates to sign ul annunciatm' systems, useful, for exumpleffor elevators.

One feature of this invention is the provision of a flashlight unnuncintor with the cleclironmgnetic control switches therefor contained within the indicator casin A second featurcof this inyentionis the provision of a plurality ,of electromagnetisally con trolled latching-switches; operable inb diriduaily I to .move .the: switches in one idir rction but operable .collectiyely ,to. mojve the switches in the oppositewlinection, each of :iislllswitches having ;only@one,aotu ating coil and utilizing-only a single i-impulseof car- 5 rent .for each controlling operation.- r

-0ther features and}axlvantagesiwill-become ppurcnt from the specification takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention. is

illustrated, i q

The iuyentionjnvolvies a;plurality of-flashlight bulbs positiouetlin asuitablei-indicator or display .eusing, electrouuu netically -controlled switches also; position forlsimplicity ancl-unnpactness in said-'casingmnd circuits :irrangedso, that momentary operation of remot-el positioned signal-buttons; control the switches to ligh t. and a retain-illuminated r the flashlight bulbs eorrespon'dingto theoperated 3o sigmilbuttonsumtil the act11ation{o f- ,a; single reset button adjacent the. casing, .WbIen-all the illuminated bulbs are collectively lextinguished; The invention furtherjnvolves using, as the electromagnetically controlled switches above,clescribedmpluralityfof latching switches the operation of:-each;of which from either one of its positions to the; other is initiated by the full energization ofrn single actuating coil, each latchingrswitclu being constructed mnl connected tomitcmatically ileenergize its-actuating coil aftermovement of its switch arm fromits initial position to perm tv the switch :arm to continue. its movement to its final position. It also-involves connecting the; flashlight bulb as a, resistance in series wit-lithe actuating coil of itsrcspectivc late? 7 switch when that bulb: is caused to he illznmnzzted by thatswitch; the resistance of the bulb being suclrthut the actuating coil is :7:-;utl"xcicntly cncrgizeel to cause operation parts .brol;en ajvz y to show} certhin details (lf tlle ll'ltl'llOlijlllQljOf;

"Figur ss- 't e ez ieks elqng h nsflf l l i igure 3 sigl'e elevation thereof with n sbrq en'ei eyt shq fcrtai d iF'gv f 'ifls-e sqt o 'i te hbuttqni ak u film-334 9 i siHn .l -T vrel iii ut 15g isle". e e r wm .th ila h: ins-.- n t hiee flas i t 'su'pdfi i is e1 3 -$be .l e o Figlim sh s h the latch-.111 switches ithat a. (it. 1n e nhli liteim iil e 9f ,inenmisa on m'rapgcmentbf connections the1;e for.

;Re. ir n ism -Ae e ninc i s iehs ing;11 houses the'complete.switclrixbntqol and indicetor,apparat 1s, oi a. flashlight ennunciator syst'e n with the exceptiouofithe,power ppl en t remo y po i on si na buttons. .flfhe I epporotus: housegl by t b. ev. casing includessingle-coih latching switches 13, flashlight bulbs-ll (there being, one letching switch and, onebulb forcach' si on] ,p ush button the annunciutor system) lpuzzer- 15, and. reset push buttonlfi. Thecasingis pr0- vided with a cover plate 12 which is slotted for part of its length. Mounted within the opening formed by the slot is a glass strip 17 through which light from the illuminated bulbs in the rear of the strip may pass. Numbers or other signals may be arranged in any suitable manner to' bedisplayed through the glass upon the illumination of the bulbs. In the annunciator as shown the glass is coated on its inside surface, except for the outlines of the numbers, with an opaque substance so that only the numbers behind which bulbs are illuminated are visible. This is illustrated by the number 3 for the third floor.

The. single coil latching switch designated generallyby 13 is clearly shown in Figures 5, 6"and 7, and is described and claimed in copending application Serial No. 317,977, filed Novemberfi, 1928. According to the preferred construction of this switch, the various partsthereof are mounted on a support 35 which" may be a copper-plated sheet steel stampin This support has stepped fastening en s"38,- two contact supporting portions 36 and 37 and aconnecting crosspiece 39 with extensions 40 and 41, the former for a bearing support and'the' latter for a coil. support In addition, coil support 41 alip extension 42'for another bearing support. The legs of a U-shaped armature 43 are adjacent the two bearing supports, and are pivotally mounted'thereon by the long piir44 whichextends between the two bearing supports and through an oversize hole (not shown) in thecoil support. One leg of the armature-engages-with the edges of the contact-supporting portions' 36 and 37 alternately, as the armature is swung to and fro, which portions thereby function as stops to'lirriit the motion of the armature (see F igure An operating coil 46 i'ssecured to the coil support fll so thatthe 'end of its core 47 is adapted to'attraht the yoke of the armaturc from either" extreme position to a position midway between the two extremes The terminals for'the coil are indicated by reference character 57.

.,Mounte.d u'pon contact-supporting portion 36 ofstamping 35 by the machine screws 50 is the metallic, contact late 51 to which is affixed thee'ontact im'ilarly mounted upon contact 's'upporting "portion 37 is me talliccontactplate 53 to which is aflixed the contact54. Both contact strips are insulated from the sheet steel stamping by means of the insulating strips 55-which are placed on both sides of the contact-supporting portions of the stamping, and both contact strips have terminal-connecting portions 56 to which leads may be attached, as by soldering.

A metallic switch lever 58 is pivotally supported upon pin 44 between extensions 40 and 41 and with its lower surface below the pin. This lower surface has afiixed thereto a contact 62 which engages with the stationary contact 52 when the switch lever is in one extreme position, and also a contact 64 which engages with the stationary contact 54 when the switch lever is in the other extreme position. A portion 59 of the switch lever ex tends above the pin and rotatably supports a toggle link 60, the outer end of which extends through an opening 61 in the yoke of the armature. A spring 3 under compression surrounds the toggle link, and presses at one end against the underside of the armature yoke and at the other end against a shoulder on the toggle link. \Vashcrs 65 may be used to separate the moving parts from the stationary parts.

It is to be noted that when the parts are in the position as shown in Figure 7 a torque resulting from the force of the spring and the displacement of the toggle link pivot out of the plane through pin 44 and opening 61, hereinafter referred to as the plane of the armature, urges the switch lever clockwise and the armature counterclockwise, thereby maintaining contacts 52 and 62 in engagement, and one leg of the armature against the stopping edge of portion 36.

From the positions of the parts as shown in Figure 7, let the armature be moved clockwise until the armature is in a position where the yoke is a small distance past the center of the core, that is, until the armature has reached and passed a little be end its midposition. This movement rther compresses the spring, but reduces the displace; ment of the toggle link pivot from the plane of the armature until at the above position it is substantially zero, when the torque also is substantially zero. Further clockwise movement of the armature increases the displacement of the toggle link pivot from the plane of the armature, but in the opposite direction, so that the torque is reversed and the switch lever is urged counterclockwise, which moves accordingly, thereby disengaging contacts 52 and 62 and engaging contacts 54 and 64. In addition, the spring urges the armature over to the'extreme clockwise position with thearmature leg against-the stoppin edge of portion 37. At the termination of t e movements, the parts are as shown in-Figure 5, which figure, it is to be recalled, is from the direction opposite to that of Figure'7.

The operation of the parts 'in the reverse direction being analagous to the operation above described, it is for conciseness omitted. It is to be noted that in either case, however,

the armature need only be moved to a little past the mid-position, from which point the completion of movements of the parts of the switch is effected automatically. It is also to be noted that after each operation of the switch the parts are maintained in their new positions by the action of spring 63.

Contact plate 53 of each latching switch is extended as at 66 to form a support for, and

a connection to, a lamp socket 67. This socket is secured to extension 66 by the machine screw 68,-the head of which forms the center contact of the socket. The metallic shell of the socket isinsulated from screw 68 and extension 66 by washers and 71. Connection to the shell is obtained by a lug-72 in contact therewith. Into each socket ('37 a bulb 14 is screwed so that each latching switch controls the illumination of a corresponding electric light bulb.

The latching switches-are mounted within casing 11 on'the insulating base 18 by means of the machine screws 49-sothat the bulbs are behind glass strip 17, as shown in :Figure 1. Screws 49 also secure the-bent'cdges 73 of light shields74. =These shields extend from the base of the casing adjacent stepped fastening ends 38-of each latching switch to the :glass strip 17. -As a result of this construction, the area in rear of theglass strip is divided into sections-one corresponding to each latching switch and bulb, so that the illumination of any one of tlie bulbs is confined to the corresponding area of the :glass strip 17-. i

At the lower end-of the-casing-is mounted the reset push button 16 with the manual push button proper-20 extendingthrough a hole in the cover plate-I A spring-21l-is compressed between the rear of the button proper and a bracket-22 to-maintaimthe contacts of the button'normally open; -A metallic-plug 23 has one of its ends secured-to t he rear-of the button. Aboutthe other-end areigrouped a plurality of rspring fingers 24 insulated one from another "and mounted upOn the insulating base 25.- The' button 'is designed so that when it is depressed the end. of the metallic-iplng- 23 engages withall 0f the spring fingers and makes contact therewith.-

Norm'ally, there: is a spring finger for each latching switch 13 and one extra finger.

A terminal strip may-'be' prov-ided for the convenient :"connection 'of the "external circuits to-the annunciator; 1

Figure'S illustrates diagrammatically a preferred arrangement of "connections for the latching switches and-flashlight annunciator. Each nlmieral-immed'ia-tely to the right of the minus =lead indicates 'therfioor for which the apparatus that is shown: at the corresponding level is provided. "In" order tosimpl'ify the diagram, the-apparatus [for the second, third and fourth floors' has been omitted. This figure shows th'e conditions of the annunciator circuits for'the annunciator as illustrated in- Figure 1 in'which the'bulbs for the: third and fifthfloors are illuminated.

Gonsi'clerini the circuit connections in'detail, one terminal of each operating coil 46 is connected 'to' one'supply lead, as the plus, while the other terminal of-each' operating coil is connected= to its respective switch. lever. This may be' accomplished in the design of the switch shown by connection to the respective fastening ends 38 of each latching switch, or, ifdesired, by connectiondircctly to the respective switch levers. Contacts 54 are already connected by extensions 66 to the respective bulbs. The other terminals of the bulbs obtained by lugs 72 are connected to the other supply lead, as minus. From each contact 52, a connection is made to the contact-31 of its respective signal push button 30. From each of'the second signal push buttoncontacts 32 connection is made to the minus side of the supply, while each of the third signal push button contacts 33 is connected to a common lead 34 whichterminates at one side of buzzer 15. The other side of the buzzer is connected to the plus lead of the supply.

Across each bulb 14, from the minus lead to=the respectivecontact 54 there are connectedindividual reset contacts 26, all of said individual reset contacts being operablecollectively by the manualpuslrbutton 20. The=expanded arrangement of-the reset push button circuits as shown in -Figure 8 is-diagrammatic and tends to simplification. As may be seen, each contact 27 of themdividual reset'coritacts isconnected -to the respective I latching, switchcontact 54, while each contact 28- of the individual reset contacts is connected to the commonminus'lead- The physical embodiment-of the reset button may-therefore. beas illustrated in Figures-3 and-4,-inI-which the contacts 27 are embodied -in seven spring fingers-24, while all the contacts .28 are-embodied inlthe eighth, or the'one-extra, spring finger 24. Contact Of-mtallic-plug 23-with-all eightfingers completes a. circuit from the seven fingers corresponding-to the-contacts 27 to:the=one finger-corresponding?to-the contacts 28.

:It will-be understood:thatthezsecond, third and fourth floor signal circuits avhich are omitted forwsimplicity from the diagram of Figure 8- are similarto the-floor signal circuits shown.

In operation,'let it be :assumed that .thesignal-push button 30 at the sixth'fioor is depressed. Acircuit 'forzthe operating coil 46 of:th-esixth floor latchingswitch 13 is completed, which-may be "traced from the plus lead, through the operating coil 46, by way'of its corresponding-contacts 62 and 52, contacts 31. and 32' of-the corresponding push button, to the minus lead. The consequent energization' of the operating coil'rcsults in the attraction ofarmature 43' from its extreme position, as shown, to=the"mid-pcsition. Due to its inertia, however, it does not stopin mid-position but continueson' past. The spring then operates as pr'evioaslydescribed to insure the movement of thesarmature 'to-the other extreme position, to disengage-contacts 52 and 62, to engage contacts 54 and 64 andzto maintainatheipartsin these new positions. The circuit through push button 30 is therefore broken and the operating coil deenergized, therebypermitting the contacts 54 and 64 to remain engaged. The engagement of contacts 54 and 64 completes the circuit for the sixth floor flashlight bulb 14 which may be traced from the plus lead, through the operating coil 46 of the sixth floor latching switch, by way of contacts 64 and 54, through the bulb 14, to the minus lead. The sixth floor flashlight bulb 14 is accordingly illuminated. The position of the floor signal circuit at this stage is similar to the showing of the fifth floor signal circuit.

It is to be noted that when a flashlight bulb is illuminated, the current therefor goes through the winding of the operating coil 46 of the corresponding latching switch. Due to the resistance of the flashlight bulb, the magnitude of this current is therefore less than that obtained when the winding is connected directly between the plus and minus leads. As a result, the attractive force of the operating coil core is not suflicient, when the flashlight'bulb is illuminated, to move the armature. v

To extinguish all the flashlight bulbs 14 that may be illuminated the manual push but ton 20 is depressed. This completes a shunting circuit around each flashlight bulb, and for those floor signalcircui-ts in which the bulbs areat' that time illuminated, establishes a circuit from the plus lead, through the respective operating coils 46; by --wayof con-' tacts 64 and: 54, and contacts 27 and 28, directly to the minus leadi The currents in the windings of those operating coils 46 therefore become ofrsufflcient magnitude to attract their respective armatureszto their mid-positions.- Due to their inertia, however, they do not stop in mid-position but continue on past. The respective: springs then operate in the manner previously described to insure the movement of the annatures to their initial extreme-positions, to disengage contacts 54 and 64 ofthe respective switches, to engage contacts-a2 and (32 of the respective switches and to maintain the parts in these new posit-ions: The circuits-for the flashlight bulbs 14 that were illuminated before the operation of :thereset push button 20 are accordingly broken, and these bulbs extinguished. The latching switches which already have their contacts'62 and 52 enfraged, and therefore their corresponding flashlight bulbs 14 unilluminatcd, are not at feeted by the operation of the reset button 20. Atthe com )letion of the reset movements, all flashlight ulbs are extinguished and all latching switches are in position to he responsive to the floor signal push buttons.

It is to be noted that after adoor signal push hotton has been depressed and the corresponding latching switch has operated to illuminate the corresponding flashlight bulb, continued or subsequent depression of the same floor button has no effect upon the latching switch.

It may be desirable, in certain installations, to include a buzzer with the flashlightarmuuciator, so Figure 8 illustrates also an arrangement of connections for a buzzer when it is 50 desired'to use it in conjunction with this flashlight annunciator. The floor signai push buttons have a third contact 33, each of which is joined to a common lead 34 which connects with the plus lead through the buzzer 15. W'Vhen the floor buttons are depressed, in addition to operating the latching switches as previously described, a circuit from the plus lead, through the buzzer by way of common lead 34 and contacts and 32 to the minus lead, is completed, and the buzzer operates. It is to be noted that the buzzer may be operated after the operation of the latching switches to signal a dormant operator. It is apparent that if it should be desired to have the buzzer operate during certain periods of the day, and to bedisabled at other periods, a switch may be inserted in the buzzer circuit to close and open this line.

Although.theconstruction of the single coil latchingswitch illustrated is a preferred form, it is to be understood that single coil latching switches, constructed in other forms but basically similar in operation, may be used if desired. 3

As manychanges could be made in the above-construction and many apparently widely different embodiments'of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontainedr'in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in'a limiting sense; V

\V hat is. claimed is:

1. A- flashlight annunciator comprising; a casing: a cover plate therefor provided with a plurality of signal indications displayable therethrough upon illumination within said casing; a plurality of signal bulbs-mounted in-said ca'singztolilluminate saidsig'nal indications, said signal bulbs being arranged to illuminate corresponding. signal indications; a plurality of switches, one for each signal bulb, positioned within said casing, .each switch comprising a single actuating coil, an armature cooperating therewith, a switch arm movable to a closed-switch position to illuminate the corresponding signal bulb and to an open-switch position to extinguish said corresponding signal bulb, mechanism cooperating with said armature and said switch arm or moving said switch arm alternately from either the open-switch or the closedswitch position to the other switch position upon successive switch-actuating energizations of said single actuating coil; means individual' to each switch operable to energize the single actuating coil of the corresponding switch to thereby illuminate the correspond ing signal bulb; and means local to said casing and in part common to all of said switches to collectively extinguish all of said signal bulbs.

2. An electromagnetically controlled device comprising, a single actuating coil, an armature cooperating therewith, two station ary contacts, a switch arm movable to engage either of said two stationary contacts to the exclusion of the other, mechanism cooperating with said armature and said switch arm for moving said switch arm, upon successive switch-actuating energizations of said single actuating coil, alternately from engagement with one stationary contact to engagement with the other stationary contact, a source of electrical energy, connection from one terminal of said single actuating coil-to one termin'al'of said source-of supply, connection from the other terminal 'ofsaid single actuating coil=tofsaid -switch arm, an impedance connected atone end tonne of said stationary 'ronta'ctsand at the other end to the second terminal of said source-of supply, and two circuit-closingswitches, one of said'switches, when operatedcl0sing a circuit between the second "stationary contact and thesecond terminal of said source of'supply, and theother ofsaid -switches, when operated, short-cireuitin g said impedance. j

3. An electromagnetically controlled'light signal comprising, a bulb, a source of electrical energy,-two stationary contacts, connection from one contact to one terminal of said-= bulb, [connection from the second terminal of said bulb to one terminal offsaid source-of'supply, two circuit-closing buttons, one butto'nbeing connected between the second of said stationary contacts and saidfirst terminaliof saidsup'ply, and the second butten'bein connected betweensaid first of said stationaryconta'cts'and sa d first terminal of saidsupply; a switcharm movable to engage either-ofsaid two stationary contacts to the exclusion of theother, a single magnet coil,

connection from one terminal of said magnet coil to sa'id 'switch a'rm,connection from the second'termina'l of said-magnetcoil to the second terminal of said source of supply, an armaturein operative relation to said magnet coil," and' mechanism' cooperatingwith said armature and said switch arm for moving said switch arm alternately from engagement with one stationary contact to engagement with the-other stationary contact upon alternate operation of the circuit-closing buttons to successively energize said single magnet coil, with the result that operation of the first button effects illumination of said bulb and that subsequent operation of the second button 'efi'ects extinguishment of said bulb.

4. In combination; a plurality of electromagnetically controlled switches; each switch comprising, a single actuating coil, an armature cooperating therewith, two stationary contacts, a switch arm movable to engage either of said two stationary contacts to the exclusion of the other, and mechanism cooperating with said armature and said switch arm for moving said switch arm alternately from engagement with one stationary contact to engagement with the ther stationary contact upon successive switch-actuating energizations of said single actuating coil; means individual to each switch operable to individually control the movement of the corresponding switch arm from engagement with one'of said stationary contacts as an initial position to engagement with the other of said stationary contacts-as a second position; andmeans in partcommon to all of said'switches operable to collectively move all of said switch arms which'may be in said second position to said'initi'al position.-

5. In combination; a plurality of electromagnetically controlled switches; each comprising, a single-actuating coil, anarmature cooperating therewith, a" switch-arm movable to closed-switch and to open-switch positions, and mechanism cooperating with said'armature and said switch arm for moving said switch arm alternately from either the closed-switch or open-switch position to} the other switch position upon successive switchactuating energizations of said single actuating coil; means individual to each switch operable to individually control the movement of the corresponding switch arrnsfrom their open-switch positions to their closedswitch positions; and'means in partgcoinmon to all'of saidswitches operable to collectively restore all of said switch arms from their closed-switch positions to their openswitch positions.

'ers

' 6; In combination; a source of electrical energy; a plurality of individual loads; and electric control means operable to individually connect said loads to said source of supply and to collectively disconnect said loads from said source of supply, said'g 'means comprising, a pair of load contacts for each load, a pair of control contacts for each load, aswitch arm for each load movable to cause the engagement of eithe'r'one or the other of the corresponding twopa'irs of contacts and to cause disengagement ofthe remaining pair ofthe corresponding two pairs of contacts, a single magnet coil for each load. an armature for each load cooperating with the corresponding magnet coil, mechanism cooperating between each armature and each corresponding switch arm for moving said corresponding switch arm to cause alternate engagement of the corresponding pair of load contacts and of the 9 Cooperating with the: corresponding magnet successive armature-actuating energizations of the corresponding magnet coil, a plurality of load-connecting controls,'each load-connecting-control to be adapted to cause the operation of a corresponding switch arm to engage the corresponding pair of load contacts, connection from one contact of each pair of load contacts to one side 'of the source of supply by way of the corresponding magnet coil for each pair of load contacts, connection from the other contact of each pair of load contacts to the second side of the source of supply by way of the corresponding load for each pair of load contacts, connection from one contact of each pair of control contacts to said one side of the source of supply by wayof the corresponding magnet coil for eachpair of control contacts, connection from the other contact ofeach pair of control contactsjto said second sideof the source of supply by way of the corresponding load connecting control for eachswitch' arm, and a load-disconnecting control operable to collectively shunt each load..'- a ---v -'Z.- In a flashlight annunciator, a plurality of signal bulbs; a source of electrical energy; and-electric control means operable to individually' connect said-signal bulbs to said SOUIGQwOfSUPPlY and-to collectively disconnect said signal bulbs from said source of supply,'; said means-comprising, apairof stationary contacts for-each signal bulb, a switch arm for each signal bulb movable to engage either contact of said pair of stationary contacts; ,forthe corresponding signal bulbzto the exclusiolrof the other of said stationary contacts, a single magnet coil. for each signal .bulb, anal-maturefor eachsignal bulb coil, each of said armatures being pivoted so as; toswing across the core face of: said mag-v net coil from either one of two limiting positionsiofsaid armatiu'e; to the other of said limiting-positions, means for effecting movement 20f, each of said switch arms. tofcause theengagement of each. thereof with one of the stationary contacts provided therefor when the armature for the corresponding signal bulb is in one of its limiting positions, and with the other of the stationary contacts pro- Vided therefor when the armature for the cor; responding signal bulb is in the other of its limiting positions, and for normally retaining each of said armat-ures in either of its limiting positions when the magnet coil corresponding thereto is not energized with an armature-actuating current,;- a plurality of circuit closing annunciator buttons,one button for each signal bulb, a connection from one side of the source of. supply to each switch arm by way of the COI'll-JSPORClillg magnet coil for said switch arm, a connection from one of: the stationary contacts for each of said switch arms torthe second side of the source of supply by way of the signal bulb for which said switch arm and its correspondingstationary contacts are provided, a connection from the other of the stationary contacts for each of said switch arms to the second side of the source of supply by way of the annunciator button for the signal bulb for which the switch arm is provided, and a reset device operable to collectively shunt each signal bulb.

8. In an annunciator system, a plurality of signal bulbs; a source of electrical energy; electric control means operable to individually connect said signal bulbs to said source of supply and to collectively disconnect said signal bulbs from said source of supply, sa1d means comprising, a air of stationary contacts for each signal ulb, a switch arm for each signal bulb movable to engage either contact of said pair of stationary contacts for the corresponding signal bulb to the ex-v clusion of the other of-said. stationarycontacts, a single magnet coil-for each signal bulb, an armature for each signal bulb cooper? atingwith the corresponding magnet coil, eachof said armatures being pivotedi so as to swing across the cojre face of said magnet coil from either. one of two limiting positions of said armature to the otherof said limitin positions, means for effecting movementp each of said switch arms to causethe engagement of each thereof with one of the-stationary contacts provided therefor whenthe armature for the corresponding "signal bulb is in one of its limiting positions, and with theother of the stationary contacts-provided therefor when the armatureior the-corre spondingsignal bulb is inthe otherof its limiting positions, and. for normally retaining .each of said armatures ineither ofwits limiting positions when the magnet coil corresponding thereto is not energlzedwith an armature actuating current, a plurality of annunciator buttons, one button for each-signal bulb, each annunciatorv buttonhaving-three contacts normally insulated fromeachother but which are electrically: connected -upon operationof the annunciator-button, aconnection from one side of the source of supply to each switch armby way of the'correspondin g magnet coil for said-switch arm, -a connection from one of the stationary contacts for each of said switch arms to": the second; side of the source of supply by way oi the-signalibulb for which said switch arm;and*its corresponding stationary contacts are provided, a connection from the other of the stationary contacts for each of said switch arms to one of the contacts of the annunciator button for the signal bulb for which-the switch arm is provided, a connection from a second contact of each annunciator button to the sec- 0nd side of the source of supply, and a reset device operable to collectively shunt :each signal bulb; a buzzer provided for said an;

nunciator system; a connection from one terminal of said buzzer to said first mentioned side of the source of supply; and a connection from the other terminal of said buzzer t0 the third contact of each annunciator button.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WVILLIAM BATES LUCAS. 

